Blessing
by spobyaddict
Summary: One drunken night was all it took. Five years later, Spencer and her daughter, Rachel, are living happily in Stanford, CA, when they run into Rachel's father. How will they cope when he wants to be a part of their lives after just learning to manage living by themselves? Will Spencer let him? SPOBY. AU.


**Hey, guys! Welcome to my new story! I have another one in the works as well, so be on the lookout for that one fairly soon :) Don't worry though, I'll still be updating CGBN as often as I can! As always, feel free to PM me, review, or tweet me ( spobyaddict) :D I'm also on Tumblr as .com so check that out!  
I love you guys! And also HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEAUTIFUL TROIAN BELLISARIO! **

**I do not own Pretty Little Liars or Grey's Anatomy.**

**PROLOGUE**

The funeral had been so depressing. She and Rachel had been best friends. Even with Emily and Hanna being a part of their tight-knit circle, the two had always had chemistry beyond the norm. So, when Rachel was diagnosed with advanced Osteosarcoma when they were only 18, the pair decided to make the most of what time they had left. They spent the doctor's estimated three years going to school, listening to music, and writing FanFiction crossovers for some of their favorite fandoms. That was the thing that made them so close- they weren't "normal" teenagers. They didn't drink or party. Most Top 40 music made their ears bleed. When there are very few people to bond over your interests with, they become more important to you than anything.

As the priest, Adam Roberts, spoke about Rachel and all she had accomplished in her limited life, Spencer felt sick. Rachel had barely even HAD a life to live, yet here they were, acting as if she had lived to some great age and accomplished everything she had wanted to. Running out as soon as the service was over, Spencer immediately saw the sideshow on a loop to Dolly Parton's "When I Get Where I'm Going", she couldn't take it anymore. The tears she had been holding back all day leapt free, cascading down her defined cheekbones as the everyone else filed out. Looking around for a way to escape, she saw Rachel's older brother, Matthew, also looking rather distraught. Going over to give her condolences, her advances were unnoticed as the priest came over to console him instead. Turning around, she ran out without a second glance back.

Stepping out into the crisp fall air, Spencer walked. She didn't know exactly where she was going, but that didn't bother her. Soon enough, she ended up at a nearby bar, desperate to forget.

"Rough day?" The man sitting next to her inquired after watching her down her second vodka soda.

"Rough... Rough three years," she sighed, looking at him fully for the first time. Even in her semi-intoxicated state, she could tell that he was gorgeous. He had eyes to swim laps in and she could tell by his tight-fitting shirt that he had a body to match. "My friend just died," she mumbled, afraid that he'd realize how broken she was and move on. As odd as it was, the stranger was having a rather calming affect on her system.

"I'm so sorry," he said sympathetically, placing a hand on her knee. "I can't even imagine what you're going through..."

"It started off as a pain in her ribs! How could something we thought to be bruised ribs turn out to be cancer? I mean I thought she was getting better, but then she tells me she has cancer and three years to live! How am I supposed to live with that? Just go on with my life?" Spencer asked, not even noticing the tears streaming down her face until she felt them dripping onto her neck.

"No, of course not! You're supposed to be sad. I would be worried about your sociopathic tendencies had you been completely okay with everything," he joked.

Shaking her head, Spencer couldn't believe that she had just poured her broken heart out to a man she had known for about five minutes. enough about me," she decided, not being able to take any more sadness, "tell me about you."

"Me? Well, I'm not much. My mom died when I was little, leaving me with my deadbeat dad. I left home as soon as I could, though. Not necessarily soon enough, but better late than never, right? So ever since then- about five years ago- I've just been picking up odd jobs, living day by day,"

"I'm so sorry... Here I am, complaining about my problems, when you've had it so hard..."

"Don't sweat it! I've had time to adjust to my messed-up life. From the looks of things, your wounds are pretty fresh," he smiled, nodding towards the plethora of drinks before her.

"Funeral was today," she responded dully, running her finger in circles around the rim of the glass. "It was hard... I mean, I had other friends there, but they weren't _her_, you know?"

"I get it," he nodded. "No significant other?" he inquired, wondering how someone as beautiful as the woman before him wasn't in a relationship.

"Nah. I just dumped my douchebag of a boyfriend a month ago, when Rachel was getting really bad. He wasn't worth my time."

"Cheers to that," he responded, clinking his drink against hers. "Just broke up with my girlfriend, Alison. She was evil and manipulative, which is the only reason I stayed with her for as long as I did. I was scared of what she would do to me," he explained, his blue eyes glued to her mocha ones.

"So what changed your mind?"

"I'm not sure... I realized that I hadn't been happy in a long time, and it was all because I was afraid she would spill all my secrets, things that shouldn't have even kept secret because they were dumb. So I stopped caring and left," he finished as the brunette next to him downed yet another vodka soda.

"How nice," she slurred, her voice still holding a certain witty confidence to it, causing him to smile.

"It may not be the most sensitive thing I've ever done, but I don't regret it." He said, searching her eyes for any semblance of the attraction he was feeling. "But I may regret this..." He mumbled, leaning forward and capturing her lips with his.

Groaning, Spencer opened her eyes to a blinding light and a searing headache. Seeing a man lying naked next to her, she couldn't believe what she had done. Pulling her blanketoff of him and throwing a pillow down to replace it, the attractive blue-eyed man awoke with a grunt, obviously disoriented as well.

Holding up Spencer's bra as she attempted to make an escape, he managed to hold her off for a few moments. "This is..." he trailed off, unsure of how to address the situation.

"Humiliating on so many levels," she finished for him, making her way towards the exit once again. "You have to go."

"Why don't you just come back down here, and we'll pick up where we left off?"

"No, seriously, I'm late, which isn't what you want to be. Especially in my family." She retorted, using every once of willpower she had not to acquiesce.

"Really?" He inquired. "What's your family like?"

"Look, we don't have to do the thing," Spencer stated, trying to remain focused on getting the mysterious man out of her apartment.

"Oh, we can do anything you want," he flirted, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No, the thing- exchange the details, pretend we care," she explained. "Look, I'm going to go and take a shower, okay? And when I get back down here you won't be here! So, um... Goodbye... Uh..." She trailed off, mentally kicking herself for not knowing his name.

"Toby," he smiled, reaching out to shake her hand.

"Toby, right," She smiled, returning the gesture. "Spencer."

"Spencer," he grinned, inching closer to her. "Nice meeting you!"

"Right, goodbye, Toby," Spencer giggled while walking away, still unaware of the consequences to come.


End file.
